The present invention relates to an apparatus for displaying paper, fabric, photographs or the like. In particular, the invention relates to a device that can be attached to a vertical surface such that the items displayed are disposed substantially in a vertical plane for viewing.
It is commonplace to attach paper, fabric, photographs or the like to a vertical surface using a conventional bulletin board with tacks. However, this conventional method results in the puncturing of the article. Furthermore, the aesthetic aspect of a bulletin board is not always desirable.
It is also commonplace to attach paper, fabric, photographs or the like to a vertical metal surface, such as on a refrigerator, by using a magnet. This method does not accommodate, however, situations in which a metal surface to which a magnet would adhere is not conveniently located near the desired hanging location. Additionally, it is not always aesthetically desirable to display articles on furniture with such a surface.
It is an objective of this invention to provide an apparatus for displaying paper, fabric, photographs or the like in which the items displayed are not punctured or damaged in any way.
Another objective of this invention is to provide an apparatus for displaying paper, fabric, photographs or the like which can be adapted to blend into any environment and/or to be virtually invisible.
Yet another objective of this invention is to provide an apparatus for displaying paper, fabric, photographs or the like which can be adapted to be aesthetically pleasing.
It is also an objective of this invention to provide an apparatus for displaying paper, fabric, photographs or the like which requires very little space.
A strip of ferromagnetic metal for use as a bulletin board for attaching an item along with a magnetic tack on a substantially vertical surface comprises a ferromagnetic layer, at least one adhesive layer attached to one side of the ferromagnetic layer, and a protective layer attached to an outermost one of the at least one adhesive layer, wherein the protective layer is removed before the strip is applied via the at least one adhesive layer to the substantially vertical surface, and the other side of the ferromagnetic layer is used for attaching the item using the magnetic tack. The ferromagnetic layer may comprise spring steel. The other side of the ferromagnetic layer may be preprinted with a predetermined design.
The strip may be divided at regular intervals by a cut through the protective paper and adhesive layer. The cut scores the ferromagnetic layer to form a division line, and the strip may be snapped by bending the strip back and forth at the division line.
An unused portion of the strip may be stored in a dispenser. The strip stored in the dispenser may be rolled up inside the dispenser. A selected portion of the strip stored in the dispenser would be dispensed while another portion of the strip remains contained in the dispenser. The dispensed portion of the strip may spring flat when dispensed. The dispenser may include a tack storage compartment.
An apparatus for displaying an item such as paper, fabric, photographs or the like comprises at least one magnetic tack, and at least one strip comprising ferromagnetic metal, wherein one face of each of the at least one strip is covered by an adhesive for applying the one face to a substantially vertical surface, and another face of each of the at least one strip provides a surface for attaching the item using the at least one magnetic tack. The at least one magnetic tack may comprise a rare earth magnet.
The adhesive on the one face of the at least one strip may be covered by a protective paper, and the protective paper would be removed before the at least one strip is applied to the substantially vertical surface.
Each of the at least one strip may be divided at intervals, which preferably are (but need not be) regular, by a plurality of score lines, and a selected length of a strip would be broken at a selected one of the plurality of score lines.
The apparatus may further comprise a dispenser, wherein unused portions of the at least one strip would be stored in the dispenser. A dispensed strip dispensed by the dispenser may be mounted, via the adhesive on the dispensed strip, onto a substantially vertical surface. The mounted strip would be used as a bulletin board surface to receive the at least one magnetic tack.
A selected portion of a strip which is dispensed by the dispenser may be broken at a selected one of the plurality of score lines, with an unused portion of the strip remaining contained inside the dispenser.
The at least one strip may be rolled up inside the dispenser. A length of a strip which is dispensed from the dispenser preferably springs flat after the length is dispensed.
Alternatively, the dispensed strip would be flattened when applied to the substantially vertical surface.
The dispenser may comprise an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder placed concentrically within the outer cylinder. The at least one strip would be wrapped around the inner cylinder in a first space which is between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder. A second space which is surrounded by the inner cylinder would be a tack storage compartment.
The dispenser further may comprise a spring attached to an interior wall of the outer cylinder. The spring would maintain pressure on the at least one strip against an exterior wall of the inner cylinder to keep the at least one strip from unwinding in an interior of the outer cylinder.
The outer cylinder may include at least one window through which the at least one strip is dispensed.
The dispenser further may comprise a cylindrical lid which is threaded into a ledge on one end of the inner cylinder. The cylindrical lid would be turned in a first direction to turn the inner cylinder, and in a second direction opposite to the first direction to release the cylinder lid.
The strips mounted on the vertical surface function like a bulletin board, but require very little space and can be virtually invisible. Furthermore, the items displayed on the strips are held by magnetic force and are consequently not punctured or damaged in at way. Another advantage of the present invention is that the tack needs to be handled only to put up the displayed object; the object displayed can be pulled off without handling the tack which would remain up on the spring steel strip because of the magnetic force.
These and other objectives and advantages of the invention would be apparent from the specification as a whole.